Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-11-25
HINTS FOR PRIMARY CLASSES.

BY ALICE w. KNOX.
" |. "Jesus went on the Sabbath dav
through the corn etc. read the verse. Not
corn like ours, for they had none of that kind,
but all grains were then called corn: perhaps
it was wheat. Children like to eat wheat be-
fore it is ground or cooked 1t was lawful
in that country for people to take grain in
that way when passing through the fields
V. 2. Read it. The Pharisees pretended to
be very pious, and were exceedingly particu-
lar about many little forms and ceremonies;
but they were unkind selfish and proud.
They often came to hear Jesus preach, but
they were fond of criticising him, finding
fault and objecting to what he said. They
objected now to what the disciples did In
stead of relieving their hunger they found
fault because these good men ate their simple
meal while walking through the fields pick
ing the grain as they went.
VS.. B. 4. These Pharisees believed in David
They thought he was an unusually good man:
and so he was So Jesus referred to David
and said, 'IIave we not read, etc This was
when David was fleeing from his prosecutor,
Saul, at the time Jonathan warned him to
escape. See l Samuel Xxx g. This was one
example of an exception to the general rule
Only the priests were permitted ordinarily
to eat the shewbread, but in his extremity
David did what was right when he ate it,
The Lord never reproved him for it, and now
Jesus Christ quoted it as a proper thing for
him to do.
V. 5. Jesus also referred to the work the
priests had to do on the Sabbath day in
offering sacrifices and attending to temple
duties. From this part of our lesson we
learn that works of necessity may he done
on the Sabbath day.
We IS mot lar ,xh,-; ~ III.
for the disciples to do this was because Jesus
was Lord of the Sabbath and had right to
let them do it. He made the Sabbath for the
good of man, and he made the rules for
keeping it. He was with the disciples, and
as their Lord and Master had q right to tell
them what to do.
Verses lob. After this kind and import
ant talk and explanation to the Pharsees
Jesus and his disciples went on to worship.
| The place where service was held was called
a synagogue. Finding a man there with a
withered hand, the Pharisees began again to
talk about what was right to do on the Sab
bath day. They said, Is it lawful to heal,
etc. They were anxious to find fault with
the blessed Jesus, and it is a wonder his
patience was not exhausted. But he knew
men and women would ask lust such
questions about the Sabbath as lorg
as the world should last, and he kindly
and patiently explained all about it,
! so that any one can understand who will
| honestly study the words of Jesus. Instead
of answering yes of course it is, Jesus asked
them a question about their animals. If
your sheep falls into pit tor great hole,
where it is likely to suffer or die. on the Sab
bath day, would you pull it out. Is not a
man much better than sheep! Worth more!
Is it not more important to save human
being from suffering and from death than
to save sheep! You see then, it is lawful
to do well on the Sabbath days Works of
mercy are right on the Sabbath day
Here is the rule for us all. 1t is lawful to
do we'll on the Sabbath days.
" H. The wicked Pharisees were angry
with the blessed Jesus and went away to con
suit how they might destroy him. Was
that work Of necessity, Was it a work of
mercy! Plotting and planning how to destroy
a righteous man. Poor Pharsees. how self
deceived and how wicked they were! Taking
counsel how to destroy the Son of God! How
much wiser. better and happier were those
who believed on Jesus and tried to obey him.
The Sabbath well kept is one of the great
est blessings to men. In countries where
they have no Bible or where but few have
it, people pay no attention to this holy day.
They work, they build, they visit they buy
and sell as on other days; and very painful il
is to the Christian heart to see such state of
things. School World.